title: Erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acid status, memory, cognition and mood in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy controls.
abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are altered in adults with cognitive decline and also depression. Depression facilitates progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. We investigated associations between omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs and cognition, memory and depression in 50 adults ≥65 years with MCI and 29 controls. Memory, depressive symptoms and erythrocyte PUFAs (% total fatty acids) were assessed. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was lower in MCI vs controls (.94% vs 1.26%, p<.01); n-6 PUFAs were higher: dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (1.51% vs 1.32%, p<.01), arachidonic acid (11.54% vs 10.70%, p<.01), n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA:.46% vs.34%, p<.01), and total n-6 PUFA (24.14% vs 23.37%, p<.05). Higher n-6 DPA predicted poorer mental health. Lower n-3 DPA was associated with higher self-reported bodily pain. Adults with MCI had higher depression scores (3.05±.39 vs 1.33±.24, p<.01). Depressive symptoms associated with elevated n-6 PUFA may contribute to cognitive decline in this population.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Milte
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sinn
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Street
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coates
authors.forename: Peter R C
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Howe
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated